Greece to close 9 more Turkish minority schools in Western Thrace

According to a recent decision by the Eastern Macedonian State of Thrace's Regional Directorate of First and Second-Grade Schools, seven Turkish schools in the Rodop (Rhodopi) prefecture and two others in the Iskece (Xanthi) prefecture will be closed down.

In a written statement issued by the Advisory Board of Turkish Minority of Western Thrace, the decision of the Greek Ministry of Education to close down 9 minority schools was condemned.

The statement strongly criticised "such outdated decisions in the field of education".

The statement emphasised that the status of minority education is determined by international agreements, including the Treaty of Lausanne, and highlighted that there has been regression in minority rights instead of improvement.

The statement underlined that Greece interprets international law and treaties only against the minority's interests.

As a result of this decision, the number of Turkish minority primary schools systematically closed under the pretext of "lack of students" since 2011 continues to increase, while the number of minority schools still operating in Western Thrace has decreased to 90. In 1995, there were 231 minority schools operating throughout Western Thrace.